With Less Than A Month

This last month of waiting to report to the MTC has been dragging out forever! 

Everyone said the waiting period is so hard mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

  For the most part, they were right.

Mentally: 

I feel like my brain is tired.  Iv tried learning Russian.  It is no piece of cake! and I don't even want to think about teaching the gospel in it! It scares me! I know that through the Lord I can do it but its still intimidating. I was reading a girls blog (she is in the MTC right  now going to Moscow as well(she took 1 beginners russian class before reporting)) and she said that she started teaching the lessons in Russian the 3rd day in the MTC.  The fetching THIRD DAY! granted she already knew a little bit so maybe she was in a higher level class? I have no idea, but still! I just want to know what is going to happen in the MTC.

Physically:  

I am tired all the time.  I go to bed early, but then also have a hard time waking up and I always feel like i need a nap. Im trying to prepare better by going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 6:30am--its a lot harder than I thought it'd be. I'm breaking out like crazy. I just got rid of a cold last week.  It's back.  I didn't work out hardly at all up at school and I started again today and puked my guts out. 

Spiritually:

I feel like I was a lot stronger spiritually while I was up at school--probably because I was more productive and involved more in religious things like praying in class, devotionals, Mission prep class, Book of Mormon calls, required book of mormon study and required preach my gospel study, preparing class devotionals and bearing my testimony regularly in class etc. I am still doing some of these things but I feel like I am always lacking.  Iv gone to the temple a few times which is always amazing.  Im really going to miss not being able to go while Im in Russia.

Emotionally: 

I'm actually more emotionally stable now than ever before probably.  I'm a rock! haha just kidding. Ask anyone and theyd tell you I was emotionally...messy. I'm sure the MTC and the field will soften me up REAL good.   

I feel like all of these little things individually are really nothing at all, but together I really do feel like they are trials.  I thought to myself this morning...

I wonder where these trials are coming from.  Is Satan trying to discourage me? or is Heavenly Father just testing my faith and endurance?  i have come to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter who they came from as long as I endure them and press forward.  If they are from Satan, then I will have showed him that I cannot be stopped! and if they are from Heavenly Father I will have showed Him my faith to carry on.

Dont get me wrong! I am sooooo excited to leave for the mission to learn how to serve his children on the other side of the world and push the work along. I know it is going to be extremely hard, and I am a little scared, but I know this is a good thing--a wonderful thing--and I am excited to do it.
 

My cousin Ken got married this past weekend in the Logan Temple! I was so lucky to be able to go in and witness the sealing ceremony.  It was so beautiful and so was Airi.  Gorgeous Bride! I am so happy for them and excited for them to start their eternal adventure together <3

It was time for the bride to throw the bouquet and the best man was like: "All the single ladies please come forward!!"  me and megan hesitantly stand up.  Megan gives a big sigh and says,"Single as a Pringle."  It was hilarious. Probably had to be there.  Of course neither of us catch the flowers but

Bryson caught the garter...lucky dog.

Also ...I chopped my hair off! 7 inches gone..

Sister love!

Sisters in Zion

My neighbor Ying took amazing missionary pictures for me and my friend Tenesia! 

Thank you so much Ying! They look wonderful! You are so talented :)

Where's Tenesia serving!?

 

Out of the country??

{YINGS ARTISTIC VISION}

I Believe I Can Fly

Last weekend I went on a date to the ropes course on Campus.  

Honestly I was quite scared to play on the rope swing and the rock "wall"
--soooo not a wall by the way.

Far from it.

Glad I didn't chicken out 'cause this was so fun!!!

waiting to let go of my cord

champion dancer

 

he got so high

taking our turn belaying

half way! this was so exhausting...

and we made it!

My family is coming to rexburg in a few weeks and hopefully I will be able to take them here! They'd love it.  Cant wait to see you guys! :)

Also,

Theres a sister missionary page on facebook and some of us that have been called to moscow have put together a moscow sister missionaries page.  

I am so hapy that I get to communicate with my fellow sister already! Half of us report July 17 and the other half report August 28.  

So glad to know Im not the only greenie on that day.  

I mean I already knew it but its good to REALLY KNOW it.

Dad got me this awesome Russian Language Learning Program so i can start learning the language!  I cant wait to be fluent!

Also, I have been reading this book by John Bytheway called,

 "What I wish I'd known When I was Single."  

If any of you know John Bytheway, you know he is a riot! He is so funny.  

I encourage my single friends to read this book! Its great and Its a quick read.  I read it in 2 days.  It's so helpful and inspiring. read it read it!

I hope everyone is having a super fun but also super safe summer so far <3

The Call

Dear Sister Downing,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  You are assigned to labor in the Russia Moscow Mission.  You should prepare to preach the gospel in the Russian Language.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am going to Russia!!!! Did not see that one coming.  Grandpa did apparently though.  He was the only one who guessed it right! Which makes it easier for me 'cause I only have to bake cookies for one person.  

Can you see me spittin' out Russian?! I can't.  I'll probably end up with the nickname Olga or something when I come home. 

I got the call in the mail Thursday morning right before class and it was in my backpack all day. TORTURE. I wanted to peak and then pretend to be surprised when I opened it on Skype, but I figured mom would have my head. haha And I really did want it to be a surprise.

Mom got this great video of the party that was goin' on on the other side of the skype camera that she posted on facebook but I cant figure out how to share it to blogger...so bummer. 

Before I opened it, my little brother caleb sang me "I Hope They Call Me On A Mission." So precious.  That triggered the tears for sure! 

When I saw "Russia Moscow," this  overwhelming, indescribable feeling of peace came over me and I knew that it was of God for ME.  Even if it said "Idaho Boise" I would have felt the same way.  Only God knows why we are going where we are going and He has a plan for each of us in this life.  The difficult, yet exciting, part is figuring out what it is. 

Funny Story...So I have, more than once, called it "Rushcow Mossa." For some odd reason, it is a tongue twister for me. 

Caleb Singing to me

Chandler made this great collage!

 

 

 

Whoa that's huge

Thank you to my friends and family who documented this moment and who have supported me  :)

I just want to testify that I know that this church is the true church on the earth and that missionaries are called of God for the divine purpose of bringing souls unto Christ.  I love my Heavenly Father and His Son  Jesus Christ and I am so thankful for the plan that they have for me and for everything they have blessed me and my family with.  I am so excited to serve as a representative of Him and Christ and I can't wait to serve the people of Russia as well.  

Colorado pt. 3: Wrapping It Up

Jessica's last sunday at church before leaving for the MTC.  She will be an amazing missionary in Florida and she will missed here. 

Picnic in the park with Matthew.  Always a good time with this one:) 

Starbucks with Stacey! :) Iv missed this girl.

Pinkies up!

Tuesday night Matt took me to dinner at Amanda Fondas. It was so yummy! 

Wednesday I went to say goodbye to Stacey. I also went to Starbucks with Matt and said goodbye to him.  I tried the most delicious hot cocoa ever! It is definitely my new favorite! White Chocolate hot cocoa with peppermint.  Go try it if you havent! So yummy! I'll see these two soon:) Its never really goodbye. I have to keep telling myself that when Im saying "see ya later" to all my friends (stacey and matt as I go off to school again, and jessica as she goes on a mission!!)

Iv always wanted to snap a pic of this sign! Finally did it!

Semis along the backroads lined up  waiting for i80 to open.

 So... funny story.

Ashley and I start driving to Rexburg Thursday morning.

Everything looks hunky dory til we get to northern colorado and southern wyoming. 

Then, things get hairy. well, icy i guess.

I have NEVER been more stressed out while driving in my entire life.  not even as stressed out as the very first time I ever drove. EVER!
there were parts where we were going literally 5mph on the interstate!
not to mention we were closed in by Semis the entire way.  THAT was scary.
While Ashley was driving on this 2 lane highway a semi slid right as it was passing us. THAT was also scary.
Anyways...we make it to cheyenne and then they closed i80. perfect!
Im glad they closed it though because it was death out there.
So they sent us back to Fort Collins so we could take a different route to Laramie where we stayed in a hotel all by ourselves and waited for the road to open up which it did the next morning.
And we were off again! Still a very scary drive. Super windy, icy, and blown snow, but definitely not as bad as it was the day before.
Apparently Wyoming didnt want us to leave because a few miles before crossing the border into idaho poor Cleatus started making weird noises and all of the gauges started shaking, and flying up and down and so we pulled over and turned the car off thinking he only needed a nap.
So about 10 minutes later we tried to turn him on again.
nope.
 didnt start.
  So there i am waving Jumper Cables in the air, while cars are flying down the interstate in middle of the woods with no cell phone service.
OH! and its raining.
of course.
Soon enough two nice guys pulled over and jumped the car for us.  It was so nice of them! and we were very grateful.
 SO! we set off again and made it to Rexburg safely and on time to check into our apartment.
What a DAY!

Cleatus still makes this weird putting sound which I am still kind of worried about, but other than that he is running great:)

Cleatus was a mess! this does not even begin to capture the thick nasties caked all over him!

Stuck on the side of the road...in the woods

We are safe now! 

I am so thankful for the time I was able to spend in Colorado Springs with my closest friends.  and I can't wait to come back after my mission.  It's weird to think I probably wont be there again til then.  This trip was  a fantastic way to wrap up my offtrack semester.

I am so thankful that me and ashley made it safely, even if things did go wrong, I knew Heavenly Father was watching out for us and keeping us safe.  

And the Spring Semester begins! Goodluck with this new semester everyone:) It is sure to be a good one.